Mothproof bag



June 4, 1935. J. w. WENZELL 2,003,704

MOTHPRO OF BAG Filed Jan. 17, 1954 INVENTOR.

Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to bags of the type which are employed forthe storage of clothing and the like particularly where it is desired toseal the bag against the entrance of moths and the like and/ or toretain those vapors which are used therein to discourage the entrance ofmoths.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bag which may beelfectively sealed while suited for continued use; it being understoodthat those bags which are sealed with glue are temporary only and suitedto use only once.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a bag of this naturewhich may at any time be quickly sealed or unsealed without damage tothe seal or contents.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a bag of this naturewhich is re-enforced to retain shape and which may be hung in the usualmanner or folded as required to fit a drawer, traveling bag, trunk orthelike.

Various materials are available in dry form which when placed within abag of this kind will give off by sublimation suitable vapors or gasesfor the protection of the contents and it is an object of the inventionto provide a bag which while being readily sealed or unsealed may bequickly sealed so that it is practically gas tight. It will beunderstood that even those temporary bags which are sealed by a gluedflap, do not insure against ingress of moths or egress of vapors, and,bags of this nature cannot be made economically of higher gradematerials. By providing a bag which can be opened and closed repeatedlywithout losing its efiiciency the present invention makes iteconomically possible to provide a bag made of high grade material whichdoes not tear readily and which at all points other than the mainopening may be very effectively sealed when manufactured.

In carrying out the present invention the bag is provided along the openedge with a flap pocket and a flap so arranged that when the flap isfolded over the bag opening and inserted in the pocket the only possiblecommunication with the interior of the bag is a labyrinthine path threetimes the depth of the flap and this is still further sealed by thatwhich I term a resilient compression seal.

This seal comprises, in one practical form described hereinafter, astrip of rubber co-extensive of the flap and acting to increase thethickness thereof. When the flap with its rubber strip is inserted inthe false pocket and equally compressed and so held thruout its lengththe seal is about as effective as is physically possible. For sake oflow first cost coupled with long life and high efliciency the flap maybe, and is, an integral part of the bag in the embodiment describedhereinafter, and the rubber is provided in the form of a long stripsuitably glued thereto.

To keep this rubber seal effectively compressed at all points thruoutits length I provide along each edge of the bag at the main openingsuitably rigid means which when forced toward each other and so held actto place the rubber under compression and so hold all contiguoussurfaces pressed against each other in gas-tight relationship. Variousmeans may be employed for proments are broken at such point but theinvention provides for still retaining the rubber and contiguous partsunder compression.

The said embodiment illustrative of my invention, is shown in theaccompanying drawing in which;

Figure 1 is a face view of the bag.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section thereof on a line 2-2 of'Figure1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section thereof on a line 33 of Figure 1showing the bag closed and sealed.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary edge view of the bag when in closed,sealed and folded condition.

More specifically the bag 6 may be made of any suitable material such aspaper or the like and is here shown as having its main opening, and onlyopening, along one vertical edge as at l. (Io-extensive along the openedge and as an integral part of the bag there is provided the flap 8.

C'o-extensive of the edge and flap and on the side of the bag opposed tothat carrying the flap there is suitably provided the flap pocket 9.This is formed by the strip of bag material l0 which may be suitablyglued thereto or formed as an integral part thereof; the latter beingshown in the drawing for the purpose of clearly illustrating this pocketaltho the former is the most practical construction. I

It will be apparent now that if the flap is bent from the open positionin which it is shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively and inserted in thepocket 9 as shown in Figure 3, that the interior space I2 of the bag isseparated from the atmosphere by a labyrinthine path three times thedepth of the flap.

Along this flap is secured the rubber strip I4 which has one edge Iiathereof directly along the point at which the flap bends while theother edge is of appreciably increased thickness to provide thelongitudinal shoulder l5 co-extensive of the flap. This shoulder isthruout its length spaced a constant and given distance from edge I 4aso as to be disposed at given depth within the pocket 9.

Immediately parallel to the rubber strip and the open edge of the bagare provided the reenforcing members I6, I6 and I1, I7. These aresecured to opposite sides of the bag proper and not to the flap so thatwhen the flap is in sealed position as shown in Figure 3, these membersI6 hold the open edge of the bag, the flap and the material of the flappocket clamped between them. These members, which are here shown ashalf-round wooden strips may be clamped together by any suitable quicklyoperated fastener but owing to their shape or cross section they arereadily clamped by the slotted tubes til, I Ii which are readily movedslidably over opposed members or strips and which are a well known andeiiective means for holding two opposed half-round sections clamped toeach other; particularly as in the present invention where a resilientstrip such as the rubber is disposed between them. One such slotted tubeis provided for each opposed pair of strips It and are designed to be asnug fit over them to the extent that the rubber is suitably compressed.The bag may be provided internally with any usual means for holdinggarmerits therein, such as a common clothes hanger (not shown) whileexternally it may be provided with any usual loop or hook (not shown) bywhich it may be suspended if it is to be used unfolded as shown inFigure 1.

With the bag in the open position as shown in Figure 1 contents areeasily introduced or removed to or from the interior space. To close thebag the flap is folded and then inserted in the flap pocket so that alladjacent'portions of the bag and flap become disposed as shown in Figure3.

As the members I 6 are pressed toward each other the rubber strip on theflap becomes compressed while the material IE) which forms the pocket 9becomes, at that point, clamped between the shoulder i5 and thecorresponding edge of the members (5. This makes the seal additionallyeffective and also keeps members I6 and I8 alined with the oppositemembers I? and I1.

It will be understood that without illustrating same specifically, thatwhere the bag is not to be folded as shown in Figure 4, that instead ortwo members IE5, IS with the space 28 between them, there would be onlyone such member co-extensive of the length of the open edge of the bag.

While at the points indicated at 20, it may appear that the bag is notperfectly sealed it is to be understood that the spaces 28 are providedonly where the bag is to be folded. The ends of members I8, Hi, and I7,I! are cut angularly as at 2| and the space 23 is of such width that thenow closed edge of the bag as indicated at 22, the rubber strip It, andthe material 5 0 of which the flap pocket is formed become slightlystretched over the diverging surfaces 2! of that member I6 which nowlies parallel and in juxtaposition to member I? corresponding.

Thus while the re-enforcing members are broken as at 23 to permitbending of the bag at that point, the act of folding the bag compressesthe rubber and provides a seal at that point as effectively as ifmembers I6, I6 and I1, Il were two single parallel members instead ofbeing in 'two pairs with those of a pair separated at 20.

It will be apparent now that I have provided a bag construction whichattains the objects of the invention and while I have illustrated anddescribed a specific construction this does not mean that my inventionis limited thereto and in fact any other construction within the meaningof the appended claims comes within the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture a bag having an open edge, half-roundwooden strips oppositely positioned externally of said bag adjacent toand co-extensive of the open edge; said bag formed with a flap pocketunderlying said strips, a resilient flap to said bag co-extensive of theopen edge and disposed to be folded over the open edge of said bag andinserted in said pocket, and slotted tubes fitting slidably over saidstrips to clamp opposed strips together.

2. The bag as in claim 1 and further including a shoulder formed on saidflap disposed to be in said pocket in offset parallel relation to theplane of the corresponding edge of one of said strips.

3. The bag as in claim 1 and in which said strips are brokenintermediate their ends to permit of the bag being folded along alateral line; the broken ends of said strips being so spaced as to placeintermediate portions of the bag and flap under tension when the bag isso folded.

As an article of manufacture a bag having an open edge, strips of rigidmaterial oppositely positioned externally of the bag adjacent to andco-extensive of the open edge, and clamping means fitting slidably oversaid strips to clamp the strips together.

5. The article as in claim 4 and further including a stripof moreresilient material co-extensive ofthe edge of said bag and intermediateof said rigid strips.

6. The article as in claim 4 and further including a strip of moreresilient material co-extensive of the edge of said bag intermediate ofsaid rigid strips and provided with a shoulder positioned to be abuttedby'a corresponding edge of one of said strips when the strips areclamped together.

7. As an article of manufacture a bag having an open edge and composedof flexible material, strips of rigid material oppositely positionedexternally of said bag along the open edge and coextensive thereof; eachstrip being divided intermediate its ends to provide for opening saidbag, and means for clamping said stripstogether comprising meansslidable over said strips.

8. The article as in claim '7 and further including a resilient sealingelement intermediate of said strips.

9. As an article of manufacture a bag having an open edge and composedof flexible material, strips of rigid material oppositely positionedexternally of said bag along the open edge and coextensive thereof; eachstrip being divided intermediate its ends to provide for opening saidbag, and means for clamping said strips together for sealing said bag;

10. The article as in claim 9 and further including a fiap co-extensiveof the open end of said bag to one side of the opening and a flap pocketprovided by said bag co-extensive of the other side of the opening.

JOSEPH WILLIAM WENZELL.

